


Life of a Rose

by elli_mk



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Blood, Flashbacks and more OCs, It's time to tell the story of my cherry man, Multi, Nightmares, OC/Canon at some point, Other, This is my first upload and I'm overwhelmed by tagging, one really fucked up "family"
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-19 09:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20329144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elli_mk/pseuds/elli_mk
Summary: Not every rose's life is long.Some bloom long. Some never do.Will you watch this rose bloom and wilt, lose and gain and lose again? Until it gains again, something it will never lose no more?





	1. Life of a Rose - 1 - Proof

“Look how pretty these are!”, The little red haired girl lifted the handful of flowers she just picked.

“The others will love them.”, her companion cheered, clapping her hands.

Together they picked some more, sorting them. Happy laughter rang through the air as they imagined what they would do later.

Silvery blue eyes watched them intently. In the shade of an alley, two figures hid away.   
“It’s your fault, isn’t it?”, the smaller growled, “You didn’t get rid of it, as you were assigned to.” Gleaming blond hair flowed as the boy turned around.

Feeling the icy glare on him, the other figure didn’t look up. “I did as I was told.”, he replied, leaning against a wall.

“You should be glad we haven’t disposed of you yet.”

“You can’t.”, the leaning man conquered. He raised his head, revealing rose eyes that shimmered coldly.  
  
In the blink of an eye, the luminous boy grabbed his companion by the scruff of his neck, pressing him against the wall he leaned on.  
  
“Don’t you dare defy me!”, he growled again, “You would have returned to where you belong, if father had only given me command over you! Glorious light does not need twilight dwellers like you, Thorn!”  
  
The hands around his throat made it difficult to speak but Thorn did anyway.  
“But aren’t you hiding in the dark now too, Elior?”, the question oozed spite. He almost laughed at the young man's expression. He knew he could only go so far, but he would do it to the fullest. At least until they returned.  
  
As fast as he grabbed him, the luminous boy had let go, as if he had touched something vile. He turned on his heel and stormed off, leaving a last order, “Finish your observation and return to report!”  
  
Running a hand through his shaded hair, Thorn grinned. His intention was far from doing that. He’d enjoy the free time he had.  
  
Walking down the street, he came by the patch they had observed the children at. He picked up a few daisies, placed one in the little girls’ dark hair and handed the rest to her red haired friend.  
  
“I happened to hear what you plan to do, so use them for each other, will ya?”, he asked, ruffling the redheads hair. The girls smiled and nodded.  
“Don’t stop being yourself and be there for one another, little ladies”, the man smiled in return and waved goodbye, “May your hearts be your guiding keys.”


	2. Life of a Rose - 2 - Past

“So, you’re leaving, Cedric?”

The addressed man just finished packing. Running a hand through his white streaked hair, he turned around. Lavender met grey as he spoke remorsefully, “I’m sorry, Merlin. I can not stay. I want to start anew, after what happened to Lucile.”

The wizard sighed. Of course his friend would have trouble at dealing with his sisters death, especially as twins. He wouldn’t keep him trapped in a place he doesn’t want to be. But he had hoped to help him along the way.

Taking a step towards the other, he laid a hand on his shoulder, “If that’s what you think. is best. I won’t keep you here. I understand.”   


“Thank you, old friend”, Cedric smiled, “I’m glad you do.”   
He took the sorcerers hand from his shoulder and hugged him.   
“A ship is waiting for me, I must hurry”, he said as he let go.

Merlin nodded and stepped out of the way, “Don’t forget us, will you?”

“I couldn’t, even if i tried. I’ll miss you, too.”, lavender eyes filled with tears ,”But we’ll meet again, one way or another. I promise.”

“May your heart be your guiding key, old friend… that were the last words he said to me. We’ve never met again.”, the old Wizard recalled. The cup in his hand was shaking, memories obviously stirring up past emotions.

“So you knew him before everything went southward? That’s something.”, replied the visitor.

_ ‘But he did keep his promise’ _ , the young man thought, gaze once again drifting to the little girl peacefully crafting with flowers in the corner.

“How comes, you know him, boy?”, Merlin had put down the cup, now genuinely interested, “you seem to know a lot.”

“He was my only friend, taught me a lot before he passed away… He had three children. Two sons, Lucius and Lucas and a daughter, Luciana. And… a grandchild. We’re the same age.”

“How? How do you know all of that?”

“Well.. ”

He was thrown out of his thoughts, by the little dark haired girl shyly standing beside them, waiting for him to finish his sentence. When he looked at her, a brow raised in confusion, she lifted the flower crown in her hands, “I m-made it for you. I saw you again, so.. I picked some daisies!”

“How sweet of you, little lady.”, the young man exclaimed happily, kneeling down for the girl to put the accessoire on his shaded hair, “Thanks a bunch! I’ll keep it, if I may?”

The little girl blushed, ”S-sure, if you like it, uh..I’m sorry but I forgot your name, sir.”

“Don’t worry. I haven’t introduced myself yet, so it’s me who must apologize. You can call me Thorn, little lady. And you?”

“I’m Elina. But why ‘Thorn’?”, the girl wondered aloud, “You look more like a rose to me..?”

“Oh Elina-”, the wizard was about to apologize as the young man laughed heartily.

“You sure are a sweetheart, little one!”

Secretly he was glad she decided to intervene in their conversation. Some secrets are better kept. No one needed to know of the sins they were committing or the bonds that tied him to Cedric's family. But he knew Merlin was far away from letting go of the topic. There was no other way then.

“His oldest son, Lucius… He.. found me and took me in.”, it wasn’t a lie but it was far from being accurate either. “I’m sorry I can’t tell you more. I have to leave soon.”

“Already?”, the wizard was befuddled, “Can’t you stay a little longer, lad? I have so many questions.”

“I’m really sorry, but I can’t. Am running on a strict schedule.” Finishing his cup of tea, Thorn thanked them for their hospitality, before leaving. “I’ll be back, I promise!”

  
And once he returned  _ “home”,  _ the flower crown was neatly hid on his way and gently placed on the lonely shelf he had in his little white cell of a room. At least a little bit of life inside this blinding prison, he thought as he let himself fall onto the mattress.


	3. Life of a Rose - 3 - Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning for mention of blood down the line.

“You received and understood your order?”, silvery eyes bore into his soul, the ruby shine shaking him to the core, ”Don’t you dare show yourself again until you succeeded!”  
  
The boy was too scared to speak. He only nodded, gently clutching the bundle that was roughly shoved into his arms. His master left without sparing him another glance.   
  
He couldn’t, could he?!   
No...   
No, he couldn’t. There was no way he could. He was not afraid to face the punishment, but.. he had to save ..it?   
  
Pushing rosewood hair out of his face as he ran, rosy eyes scanned the bright halls.   
No one around. Still, he had to be careful. Sneaking along the walls, while gently, albeit clumsily, rocking the bundle in his arms, he slipped into a room, finally letting go of the breath he was holding.   
  
Empty.   
An empty dark room.   
Darkness.   
  
Claws shot from the black abyss without warning, prying the whining bundle from the boy’s arms. He stumbled forward, running after them. He reached out. Further, just a little further! But something caught his foot, making him fall.   
  
Wet.. breaking the fall with his hands, he felt something wet gushing between his fingers.   
  
A hand squeezed his shoulder and the room illuminated. 

  
Red.

Red pools on the floor

Red splattered on the walls

Red covered his hands

  
He failed… And everything went black again.

* * *

Drenched in sweat, Thorn jolted awake. Clutching his chest, he breathed heavily. He wiped tears and sweat away, shaded hair sticking to his forehead.

Another nightmare. Another bad dream trying to overwrite a memory he held dear. He wouldn’t let go of it. Never.

He delved deep into his past, between all the orders and mistakes, recalling the real ending.

* * *

Sneaking along the walls, while gently, albeit clumsily rocking the bundle in his arms, he slipped into a room, finally letting go of the breath he was holding.

A pair of warm violet eyes fixed on him. Brows knitted together worriedly as the elder looked the boy over.

Streaks of white that don’t belong in a child's locks, snaked through the boy's more than the day before. And his eyes.. too many shades lighter in too short a time to blame it on his nature.

“My goodness.. what is Lucious doing to you, young one?”, frowning, he walked over to the child. A pair of wrinkled hands squeezing his shoulders gently to reassure him he was safe not alone. In that moment the older noticed the bundle in the boys arms was squirming. He took it gently, the boy now hugging himself.

“He gave me the order to discard it_ … _”, the boy whispered, his voice cracking. “He ordered me to kill it, Ced… but I can’t!”, the boy broke into sobs.

Ordering a child to kill another.. he knew it was the truth. Only his son could think of such sin. But lavender eyes widened as the elder untucked the cloth gently, realising in his arms laid his newborn granddaughter. 

“Her..”, he murmured, “and you won’t have to hurt her, Ro'. Don’t worry.” Resting the baby in one arm, he wrapped the other around the crying boy, hugging him close.

“W-what should I d-do..?”, the young one almost choked on his words, “I don’t wanna hurt her..”

“And you won’t have to, I promise you, Rosalius. We’ll bring her somewhere safe. I know of a place full of kind-hearted people. Have you heard of Radiant Garden before?”


	4. Life of a Rose - 4 - Lost and Found

Through countless worlds he had followed her. Countless times were his rosy eyes fixed on the young woman, like now, as she exited the tavern. Clueless like any other prey.  
  
Time to hunt~  
  
The traveler paid for his drink and once again followed suite. Sticking to the dark haired girl like a shadow, they kept wandering around town. Watching her every move, he calculated his own, fast and silent creeping the twilight. He’d catch her off guard, corner her. Oh, this little play was too much fun. 

Staying in an adequate distance, the game went on for quite a while until the young woman turned and looked into his direction, shaking her head amusedly.

“Are you having fun?”, Elina called to the man hiding behind the tree, “You know you don’t have to stalk anymore? You can walk beside me.”

Chuckling, Thorn stepped out from his hiding spot and to her side. It was all in good fun to play and mess with the girl. Something he hadn’t felt in a while. But he wouldn’t overdo it, having given her a good scare when he had revealed himself to her. 

They say “home is where your heart is”. Who would have thought he’d find it in the world he did once call home. Having followed Elina through worlds and beyond the man finally decided for the big reveal when they just arrived. Of course it wasn’t because of his promise. Or because she reminded him so much of his love that his heart ached from the distance.

_ “Can you promise me something, Ro? Promise me, that you protect her when I can’t?” _, the words still echoed in his head.

Agreed, he could have been more reasonable than appearing in her window out of the blue but once he decided it was time, Thorn could barely wait for nightfall. Under the screen of night, he climbed out of his rooms window onto the inns roof, only the tiles clicking quietly beneath his feet. Climbing only three windows to the left, he sat down on the windowsill and by Kingdom Hearts was he glad she didn’t throw anything at him. Tumbling down a roof wasn’t his plan to go after all.

After the initial shock, Elina was.. surprisingly calm. Thorn was puzzled as she started smiling, holding out her hand to him.

“How could I forget the first man to gift me flowers?”, she laughed. In turn he laughed, too. He wouldn’t have believed she still remembered, but he was happy to be proven wrong. Taking her still outstretched hand, he sprung from the windowsill and joined her, sitting on the bed.

The two had talked all night, as if they had been friends for years. Stories of the past were told, secrets were shared. 

“So, you two saved my life, you and grandfather..”, it was more of a statement than a question, ”If you hadn’t been, I would have been dead all along.. It’s sad I can’t thank him anymore.. I owe the both of you so much.”

“Maybe so.. but you did a big thing for him, too. He promised to return to his home, but he couldn’t.. until you. With you, a part of him came back to Radiant Garden. And back to his friends. Neither of us could have imagined the old goober of a wizard was the one who would find you and take you in. Fate has its way, sometimes.”

But Elina seemed to have been lost in thought again.“And my father kidnapped you.. and tried to.. Because you were.. that’s a lot..”

“It’s not pretty to think about, yeah. Abducted me when I was young. Having gone pretty much insane about light and stuff, he saw me as _ impure? _ ”, the man ran a hand through his streaked hair, “As the noble man, he thought he was, he took pity and wanted to purify me. In the end it was just a crazed way of saying he tried to assimilate me. Y’know, putting parts of himself, of _ 'his light' _, inside me? I haven’t always looked like this. White isn't really my color.”

The girl had to hold back a laugh at his last sentence, but she caught herself and cleared her throat.  
“I’m... I'm sorry you’ve been put through that.", she said instead, " You didn’t deserve any of that.. no one did. But.. they’re all.. this crazy..? The whole _ family.. _?”

“Yeah.. except Ced- er, your grandpa. But... he blamed himself for letting it happen… even though he couldn’t really do anything. And your youngest uncle, but that’s because he died very young. Didn’t even pass a decade… Sounds like some bad written drama, doesn’t it?”

“A bit.. But there is one thing I don’t get..”

The sole response to that, was a raise of a silvery brow.

“Why didn’t you leave my father in the past? After Cedric died.. what held you there?” 

“Oh, that.. uhm..”, Thorn swallowed audibly, hoping his companion would not notice the way his hands dug into the bedsheets, “Let’s just say there was some.. thing, for now. That’s a story for another time, okay?”

There was no need to tear open old wounds again. They’ve got important matters on their hands anyway!   
There were friends to save!

Still, the man couldn’t keep from showing her the place he loved the most, once they came across the big forest he used to play in, when he was younger, still free. It had been years but Thorn still remembered every clearing as if nothing had changed. Until they arrived at his favourite spot. 

A giant stone tablet stood tall in the clearing, gleaming in the afternoon light, that fell through the tree tops and thorny vines creeping about.

_ Without goodbye _

_ Disappeared without a trace _

_Yet you have never left our minds nor hearts_

_ As we pray for your neverending bloom in heaven_  


_ In memory of our beloved son _

_ Rosalius _

A memorial. 

Thorn turned away. Streaked hair falling into his face as he muttered something to himself. Elina didn't catch it all, could she only make out what she deemed to be a name and an apology. _ "Sorry,Aurora..?” _

“Is.. is that your real name..? Rosalius?” 

He didn’t mean to flinch. It has been so long he had heard that name.  
“It was.. before the man that’s your father took me away from here. But please.. don’t call me that. Or say it at all anymore...”

He shook again as the memories, that he had pushed away day after day, invaded his mind again. Little arms hugging him close, bright sapphirine eyes shining as they laughed. Grown, soft hands caressing his cheek, shoulders, any patch of skin as silvery blue eyes gazed into his. 

And all the pain and longing, he had tried to bottle up, came crashing down on him.

Immediately noticing his discomfort, Elina couldn’t help but reach out to him. Laying a hand on the man's shoulder, she tried to reassure him, “ No matter what my father did, it’s still you.. It’s still your name.”

“I know. iI’s just… it hurts…”, a sob shook his body, as he choked on his words, “You.. You say it with.. with the same softness _ he _ used to do..”


	5. Life of a Rose - 5 - Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for mention of blood at the end

He was almost a head taller than her but that didn’t stop Elina from hugging the man she had come to know and love as a brother in so little time they had spent. Thorn, no.. Rosalius clung to her like a child, heavy sobs wrecking his frame as he cried for the first time, since… since…

“You’ve mentioned a promise before.. I think it’s time you tell me everything..”

* * *

“So you're..", he sniffled, "You’re up to the point, that this used to be my homeworld, right?”

Ro’, as Elina had nicknamed him in her head already, had calmed down. Setting up camp in the clearing instead of searching for the nearest Inn, they sat by the fire.

“Yes. And my father took you from here.”

“Right. He brought me to a world far away. He kept ordering me to his room and.. well.. Oh uhm, it was nothing sexual. To make that clear. But feeling a second, someone else's soul, their heart, inside you really does scare you the first time and basically all the other times. He tried taking me over, ‘purifying’ me as he saw it.”

She’s heard it before, but it still scared Elina to the core, how one man could be so obsessed. She was about to apologize but Rosalius stopped her.

“Don’t ever apologize for him. It’s not your fault and he doesn’t deserve forgiveness. Not until he begs for it.”

The girl only nodded as he continued.

“He and his sister hated me because I didn’t behave the way they wanted me to. I learned to get used to _him_. But his sister… Luciana is a frightening woman and dangerous to boot. Only Cedric treated me as a person, not as a servant or a nuisance. Him and.. well... your brother ”

That was new.

“Brother. I have a brother.. and you couldn't tell me?!”

“Yeah..”, Rosalius tried to laugh it off awkwardly, ”And he was just as much kind at heart as you...”

“He _was.._? Did he change?”

The older nodded.

“He fought the control. When we were young, he was successful but the older we got.. there were days he was like your father, but he always caught himself again. Elior was... all I had left, after Cedric passed away. And he.. he was the one, who I made a promise to. The promise to protect his sister in his stead...”

There it was again. And his eyes, too, Elina noticed.

“You loved him.”

She didn't have to wait for him to nod, to confirm her thoughts. He loved her brother. That’s why he didn’t leave.. but..

“Why did you leave now?”

Silence. Rosalius stared into space, she was sure he didn’t even hear her. So she repeated the question. This time he reacted. He closed his eyes.  “He’s gone. And without him.. there was nothing that could keep me chained.”

Gone.. but why didn’t he go with him? Was he looking for him too? Unless… It dawned on her.

Her brother was dead. 

She hadn’t known him but it still felt as if she lost a part of her with him, just like it did when he told of her grandfather the first time.

Now she was close to tears as well. “Was it.. our father? It was him, wasn’t it?”

Silence, again. Until Rosalius spoke, so strained and quiet, it took all his willpower not to cry out. His fists balled, his whole posture tense.  “He defied him.. finally free of his control, he confronted your father.. And I… I wasn’t there to protect him…”  From one moment to the next, his shoulders slouched and his face rested in his hands. 

Guilt. He felt at fault for not saving the one he loved, the only one who loved him back.

Without a word Elina stood up and wandered over to the man, wrapping her arms around his frame as she sat down next to him.

He cried again and so did she.  But silently this time.

“I was gone on some mission.. and when i returned… the walls, the floor.. he laid there.. eyes wide open.. his beautiful _blue_.. stained with _red_…“


End file.
